European
Mediæval Swords

The swords of medieval Europe (approximately 500 to 1500 AD)
evolved from steel Celtic swords, which in turn arose from a
tradition of straight, double-edged swords which began with bronze
swords as early as 1,500 BC. At the opening of the Middle Ages
these swords tended to have blades just under a yard in length
with a grip designed to accommodate a single hand; the other
hand being concerned with the grip of a shield. Essentially all
of the earliest medieval swords and many throughout the period
were designed to cut, having surprisingly thin blades, especially
towards the tip, which was often rounded. By the close of the
Middle Ages, swords increasingly are stouter and more sharply
pointed, being optimized for the thrust, the cut having been
rendered less effective by improvements in armour. Similarly,
with these armour improvements, the shield became redundant and
swords with hilts effectively accommodating both hands make their
appearance and grow in popularity.

The development of a amazingly wide diversity of hilt forms
characterizes the European Renaissance, but in the Age of Enlightenment,
the role of the sword as a personal weapon in most of Europe
ends with the nasty foppish decadence of the small sword.